Modbury Hospital Health Precinct

Amid growing demand for specialised mental health and cancer services, hospital expansion projects are increasingly being challenged to deliver new clinical capacity while maintaining continuity of care and supporting evolving models of treatment.

The South Australian Government’s Modbury Hospital Health Precinct expansion, delivered by Built Environs is a significant expansion of healthcare capacity for Adelaide’s northeast while providing insight into the planning, design, and delivery considerations shaping contemporary healthcare infrastructure.

“This is a genuinely significant project for the community,” says Project Manager Louis Condo. “We’re not just adding beds and car parks, we’re delivering specialised mental health facilities, cancer care services, and infrastructure that will change how this hospital serves the region for decades to come.”

The expansion introduces a 44-bed mental health facility comprising a 24-bed Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit and a 20-bed Older Persons’ Mental Health Unit, alongside a new Modbury Cancer Centre reintroducing local oncology services equipped with 12 chemotherapy chairs and seven outpatient consulting rooms.

The Modbury Hospital Health Precinct is connected to the existing main hospital tower via an elevated pedestrian link bridge, providing seamless and efficient movement for patients, staff, and visitors between the two facilities.

Delivering all of this within a live, fully operational clinical environment has demanded exceptional planning discipline. Built Environs’ approach began with a carefully staged early works package that relocated major site utilities including bulk oxygen tanks, diesel fuel reserves, and cooling towers before main foundations were established. Advanced point-cloud surveying has been used throughout to tie new structures accurately into the existing campus grid.

“Managing multiple active construction fronts simultaneously, right alongside a working hospital, requires absolute precision in sequencing and communication,” Louis explains. “Every decision we make on program has a direct impact on clinical operations, so we work hand in hand with the hospital and health authority teams constantly.”

For Tony Jachmann, Built Environs’ General Manager for South Australia, the project reflects the company’s broader capability in complex healthcare delivery. “Modbury is a continuation of a relationship we’ve built with this campus over many years,” Tony said. “We completed the previous $98 million upgrade between 2019 and 2022, so we understand this environment deeply.

“The completion of the Mental Health and Cancer Centre marks our third consecutive major project at Modbury Hospital over the past decade, demonstrating the strength of our long-standing partnership with DIT, SA Health and the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network.”

“We’re proud that each of these projects has been delivered ahead of schedule, under budget and without any unplanned disruption to the hospital’s ongoing operations. That level of consistency reflects the trust we’ve built together and the experience our team brings to delivering complex healthcare projects.”

Nowhere is the project’s ambition more evident than in the design of the Older Persons’ Mental Health Unit, a facility built around the principle of de-institutionalisation.

Rather than traditional hospital corridors, the unit is arranged in smaller residential pods that feel domestic in scale, with warm timber-look finishes, soft acoustic materials, and earthy colour palettes replacing the clinical aesthetic of conventional wards. Oversized windows flood living areas with natural light to support healthy sleep-wake cycles, while patient rooms and communal spaces look directly onto landscaped gardens rather than concrete or carparking.

Safety is seamlessly woven into the design rather than imposed upon it. Anti-ligature hardware is integrated into joinery to resemble standard household fittings, and high-contrast visual cues and structural landmarks assist elderly patients and those living with dementia to navigate independently with confidence.

The therapeutic gardens directly adjacent to the mental health pods represent one of the project’s most thoughtful elements. Continuous loop pathways with flush transitions eliminate dead ends and tripping hazards. Aromatic plantings of lavender, rosemary, and mint provide sensory anchors for patients experiencing cognitive decline, while pod-specific secure courtyards allow clinical teams to tailor outdoor access to the needs of different patient groups. Security fencing is concealed behind dense native planting, preserving a sense of openness and dignity.

“What’s been designed here for the older persons’ unit is genuinely world-class,” says Tony. “The level of thought that has gone into every detail, from the pathway geometry to the plant selection, reflects a real commitment to patient dignity and wellbeing, and we’re proud to be the team bringing it to life. Most importantly, it’s rewarding to see the positive impact these facilities are already having on the community.”

For more information contact Built Environs, Level 12, 99 Gawler Place, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, phone 08 8232 1882, email builtenvirons@builtenvirons.com.au, website www.builtenvirons.com.au